Neji woke that morning before the sun, as he always did. He yawned, stretched, and mentally slapped himself into a conscious and alert state of mind. He had gotten very good at that over time.
He turned to extract himself from his bedsheets and paused. Something was wrong.
He blinked and turned back around, fixing his eyes almost reluctantly on his nightstand. He almost gasped.
His rose was gone.
Neji bolted out of his bed and hurried over to the nightstand that sat peacefully on the other side of his bed. He peered down at the vase with a worried brow as he bit his lip and thought.
How the hell had that rose disappeared? It had been there the morning before! He made sure of it! How the hell had it gone? Roses simply did not just grow legs and walk away!
Neji immediately backed away from the vase and glared at it as though it were evil. Great! Now it had him all paranoid! Damn whoever had taken the stupid rose! And damn the stupid rose for being so important to him! But not Shino. No. Don't damn Shino.
The Hyuuga flushed in embarrassment as his pathetic creativity got the better of him for a moment. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes, bringing a hand up to his forehead and rubbed the agitated area, taking a second to regain his composure.
No need to worry. Hanabi had probably come in early that morning and put it in a different vase. That must have been it. Yes.
...No.
Neji groaned to himself as his logic told him quite plainly that he would have sensed the inexperienced girl's chakra as soon as she had entered the room and that if, by some strange fate, she had evaded his senses, she would have simply changed the water for the rose and then replaced the vase – with the rose – on his nightstand. So that ruled her out as a suspect. It wouldn't have been Hinata, since the girl would not have risked getting caught by Neji in the middle of the night when she could have easily done something like change the water for the rose during the day, and with his permission. And besides, he knew for a fact that she had received her own special gift from a certain blonde shinobi, so why would she have need of the rose Shino had given Neji? It made no sense.
It would also not look very good if Neji openly accused either of his cousins of stealing a Valentine's Day rose.
It would look even worse if he were to walk up to either of them and ask if they had seen his rose.
Neji cringed as he imagined it...
Neji walked up to Hinata and asked with a very straight face,
"Hinata-sama, have you seen my rose? The one Shino gave me for Valentine's Day? I know I had it yesterday before I went to sleep but it was gone when I woke up. Have you seen it?" Hinata just looked at him.
The brunette jerked and shoved the image roughly from his mind, now convinced that he was mentally ill. Perhaps I should take the day off...
Shino was not going to admit it, but he was mildly proud of himself. Last night, he managed to sneak into the Hyuuga Compound undetected and had reclaimed the rose he had given to Neji one month ago exactly, Valentine's Day. And he had been able to sneak out again without being seen or noticed. In retrospect, he supposed, things went pretty well.
A small chuckle threatened to emerge from the bug nin as he thought back on the rather suspenseful encounter.
Flashback:
Shino walked silently through Konoha, his destination nearing, the pathway illuminated by the glow of the moon that bathed all else it touched in its soft and loving light. His mission was clear in his mind and his resolve was firm and unshakable.
As he approached the Hyuuga Compound he slowly and gradually concealed his chakra, making sure that it blended and meshed with the life all around him. If spending time with Neji had taught him anything, it was that the man had an incredible sense of his surroundings.
The tall and traditional set of building complexes came into view.
And Shino disappeared.
To a civilian who might have been watching, it would have appeared as though the shinobi had just vanished into nothingness. A fellow shinobi would have seen a skillful maneuver and a smooth getaway. Both would have been instantly on guard.
Shino ran noiselessly through the Compound, staying as close to the walls as possible. Normally, he would use a bug clone as a diversion, but if he were to do so in this scenario, the Hyuugas would instantly be put on their guard and then he would have no chance of achieving his goal. So, he stuck to classic stealth methods.
After long minutes of tedious hiding and annoying cautiousness, Shino finally found Neji's room. Thankfully, due to traditional architecture and old-fashioned building structures, there was no second story, and so, all sleeping quarters were stationed on the primary floor.
With the skill of an assassin, and much more care than before, the ninja jumped through the open window and landed soundlessly on the wooden floor.
Light reflected off the black glasses on his face as he glided smoothly over to his lover, lying peacefully under the covers of the small but adequate bed that was one of only a few necessities in the entire room, the others being a nightstand and a bureau.
On the nightstand sat a plain pale green vase (that looked iridescent in the even paler moonlight) that held the small white rose bud that Shino had given to Neji one month prior. Actually, not so much of a bud now.
The infant flower had, over the course of the month, bloomed and blossomed into a beautifully mature rose. Just as Shino had intended.
But the rose was not what the nin was watching. No, Shino's eyes were on the occupant of the bed. Hyuuga Neji, his lover.
The Aburame had always believed Neji to be the most beautiful when he was in a bed, either asleep or flushed and panting, he wasn't picky.
And now, as he watched the rhythmic rise and fall of Neji's chest, the normally harsh lines of his brow melted into something softer and more relaxed, the supply parted lips that drew in life-sustaining air, the tender white light driving away all of the nightshade that resided everywhere but his face and hair, Shino believed it to be truer than ever. Neji was beautiful when he slept, if only because it was the only time he didn't worry.
Shino wanted nothing more than to reach out and finger the darkly shining tresses, to cup delicate and defined cheeks, to run his hand lightly over sinfully smooth skin. But he refrained.
He had a mission to complete. There would be time for these things later.
Carefully, cautiously, Shino moved around to Neji's nightstand and removed the rose from the confines of the vase, stealing one last look at his sleeping beauty, before turning around and disappearing into the night.
Present:
Shino shook his head and let the snicker come. He was such a fool. A fool in love, his father might say.
"Niisan, are you alright?" a rather concerned Hinata asked her very disgruntled and peckish cousin. Neji let out a breath that sounded very much like a mixture of a grunt and a sigh. He shook his head.
"No, I am not alright, Hinata-sama," he said irately. Hinata cringed a little and tried again.
"Well, what's wrong?" she asked. Neji sighed again, already becoming distant and distracted once more.
"...Nothing..." he said absently, turning and walking away, head swiveling this way and that, as though looking for something. Hinata blinked and watched him go worriedly.
"He's acting so odd today," she mused to herself.
Not bothering to brush the thoughts away, Hinata turned and made her way to the training grounds, for she was supposed to meet Shino there.
Skillfully avoiding her father and younger sister, the young heiress left the Compound and hurried through the village, possible explanations for her cousin's strange behavior still rushing through her mind.
What could have Neji so flustered? So touchy? He was never like this unless something really serious or something that had to do with Shino happened.
Hinata sighed and tried again to come up with a possible cause for such behavior. And came up with another blank.
"Is something wrong, Hinata?" the addressed jumped and her eyes snapped to the source of the good-natured question. It was Shino. Looking around, the girl realized that she had arrived at the training grounds. He was standing tall and silent, hood up, glasses on, and he was holding a beautiful white rose in his left hand. Hinata blinked.
A rose?
Click!
That's the noise that would have sounded in Hinata's head at that very moment. Because, at that very moment, everything all clicked. Why Neji was so irritable, why it had all been so sudden, everything.
"You took Nii-san's rose?" the Hyuuga queried timidly, needing confirmation. Shino nodded and Hinata noticed the object that hung loosely in his relaxed right hand; a medium-length, fair-sized, immaculate, white ribbon.
And then, something else clicked in her mind.
"It's White Day," she stated aloud, more to herself than Shino. Again, her former teammate nodded.
"That ribbon is for Neji-Nii-san," she indicated to the ribbon in the other's hand and he nodded.
"But, why did you take the rose, then?" she asked, still very confused. Shino walked calmly over to her and held the rose out to her.
"Does it look any different to you?" he urged gently.
Shino always did that when he helped Hinata. Always helped her look for an answer to her question, but never outright told her. It was just the way his mind worked. And somehow, Hinata always found what she was looking for under his tutelage.
So she observed the rose quietly for a moment, refusing to admit that she didn't immediately see what was different.
But soon she did spot it. Angling her head to survey her companion, she answered, "It's blossomed." Shino nodded and his hand retracted.
"Exactly," he said. Hinata waited for him to continue, but he didn't. They stood in a comfortable silence for a few minutes until Shino broke the silence.
"I apologize for asking you this, Hinata," he said monotonously yet sincerely. "But do you think you could ask Neji to meet me by the bridge the next chance you get?" Hinata was slightly taken aback, but nodded nonetheless, turning on her heel instantly, eager to please both her friend and her cousin, who would be indirectly pleased because of her if he was directly pleased because of Shino and his gifts.
"Alright, I'll go get him right now, Shino-kun!" she exclaimed, hurrying back to the Compound as quickly as she could.
She ended up nearly colliding with Neji, who was still flitting nervously about the Compound, looking for the rose, as Hinata assumed.
"What is it, Hinata-sama?" he asked impatiently, taking no note of the shortness of his tone. The younger ignored it and reached out to him, taking a hold of his hand.
"Come on, Nii-san!" she insisted. "Shino-kun wants to see you at the bridge." Neji's head whipped around and he looked at her with what appeared to be guilt.
"Shino..?" he repeated, rather stupidly for someone like him Hinata giggled, pulling him towards the exit of the Compound.
"Yes, Shino," she confirmed, still dragging him like a rag doll to the bridge where she knew Shino was.
She already knew the perfect place to watch the exchange between them without being discovered...
Shino was standing calmly by the bridge, watching the water calmly, the rose and ribbon held in his hand. He was in such a state of serenity and peace one might believe him to be meditating, a favorite hobby of his.
"Shino-kun!" Shino turned to see Hinata hurrying towards him, dragging Neji behind her. The older Hyuuga seemed a little out of it, and perhaps overwhelmed by the events that transpired at the Compound. Shino suspected that Hinata had been more insistent than she had ever been with him, a definite cause to be shocked.
She came to an abrupt halt when she was right in front of him, turned, grabbed Neji's arm with both of her hands, and pulled him forward. Neji stumbled a little when she released him, but recovered beautifully. Hinata gave them both a friendly wave.
"I have to go find Kiba-kun, now," she said very enthusiastically (for her). "I was hoping he'd train with me today. I'll see you later!" And then she was off, making a beeline for a nice tree from which she could watch the scene enfold, not that Neji or Shino knew that, though.
Both Neji and Shino, surprised at Hinata's antics, watched after her for a moment, trying to discern what the hell had just happened.
After that moment passed, though, both men turned to each other. Neji, since the angle at which Shino was standing was unfavorable, could not see the rose and only saw the ribbon. He indicated to it.
"What's that?" he asked, unable to hide his curiosity. Shino shook his head.
"That's your gift," he responded. "But it comes second." Neji blinked, confused, and Shino turned to face him fully, bringing the white rose into view. Neji gasped.
"So," he started. "You took the rose?" The Aburame nodded and held it out to Neji.
"I did," he confirmed. The Hyuuga looked at his lover oddly.
"Why did you take it?" he inquired, not understanding the motive behind the bug nin's actions at all. Shino smiled and and lifted the rose up a margin.
"You wouldn't have noticed if I didn't," he said. Neji's eyes narrowed.
"Don't be cryptic," he admonished. "What do you really mean?" The Aburame only smiled.
"Look at it, Neji," he whispered, moving closer to the older. After a confused look cast in his boyfriend's direction, Neji complied. He looked at the rose.
It was white, as it had been. It was beautiful, as it had been. It was--
Neji stopped his train of thought and looked again.
It was bigger. It was fuller. It was more beautiful. It had blossomed.
Neji took a step closer to Shino and put his hands around the Aburame's. He looked at the rose again.
"Shino, you," he marveled, without looking up. "You planned this?" His head was forced up so that his eyes locked with Shino's, which, despite the shades, he could see very clearly. The shinobi nodded, leaning in and placing his lips on the Hyuuga's.
"Now, Neji, look again," he breathed against Neji's lips. The brunette man shivered and averted his eyes reluctantly from Shino's so that he could see the rose once more.
His mouth parted and his breath hitched. For there, on the innermost petal of the flower, his initials were inscribed, soft and delicate, barely denting the rose's tender flesh, yet so obvious and easy to see.
Neji turned back to Shino and found he was at a loss for words, something which Shino took great pleasure in. The younger man reached out with the hand that held the ribbon and softly caressed his lover's face, bringing said hand farther back and up, towards Neji's hairline. The Hyuuga shivered as Shino's other hand, the hand with the rose, pulled itself from his grip and moved to help the first pull his hair back so that the rose could be once more entwined in its strands, just as it had one month ago on Valentine's Day.
Shino finished and retracted his right hand to remove his glasses and lower his hood. Neji blushed as the face of his perfect lover was revealed to him, and he saw such a look of affection and adoration that he couldn't help the color in his cheeks.
"It looks better like this," Shino said, fingering the rose in Neji's hair, referring to its fullness. He held up the ribbon.
"Now for your second gift," he exclaimed softly, pulling Neji's hair back into a high ponytail and tying the ribbon about it delicately. His arms encircled Neji's head, making the older feel incredibly small and slightly intimidated. So he blushed darker.
When Shino pulled back, he smiled at Neji and led him over to the rail. He gestured for Neji to lean over and the Hyuuga did so, catching his reflection in the water. His brow furrowed.
He looked...well, he didn't know how to describe how he looked. He had never really paid attention to his looks, in fact it had been something he had gone out of his way to avoid.
But, now, he couldn't avoid it. Now, as he watched his dark brown hair spill over both shoulders, held back in the white ribbon that peeked out from behind his head, complimenting the rose that rested comfortably in the dark locks of his hair, also partially hidden by the curve of his head, Neji had to admit to himself that he was...pretty. Feminine pretty. Perhaps even beautiful, but that sounded vain.
Unable to look at himself anymore, Neji turned to Shino.
"I look..." his voice faded and Shino picked up where he left off.
"Breathtaking," he finished with a small smile, knowing that Neji did not want to be complimented as a woman would, as that only made him feel jilted. Neji looked down adorably, a pink blush staining his cheeks again. It contrasted with the white that clothed his body and adorned his head. Shino shook his head and took his lover's chin in his hand, gently forcing the lovely head to look up at him.
"Don't think of it in that way," he said gently. Neji bit his lip.
"How can I not?" he asked in a defeated tone. "You tell me I'm breathtaking while I have a rose in my hair, which is tied up by a ribbon, and you expect me not to think that you mean it with the implications that I look feminine?" Shino took yet another step forward and Neji, unconsciously, did as well.
"Well, then, would you like me to wear the ribbon?" Shino whispered in jest before his lips touched Neji's once more. Neji was tense for a moment, but then gave in, falling against the Aburame, bringing his arms up to wrap themselves about the taller one's neck. Shino's arms found their way to Neji's waist, where they held him tightly; securely against his own broad chest.
They stayed like that for a while until too much air, ever the necessity, escaped them, and they were forced to pull away. They both looked at each other, catching their breath, and Neji reached up to gently ghost his fingers over Shino's face.
"There's a festival today, too," he breathed. "For White Day. Could we – go to that?" Shino chuckled and pulled Neji close to him, resting his forehead on the other's.
"Very well," he agreed. "But I insist that you wear at least the ribbon. I'll wear the rose if you're that uncomfortable about it." Neji chuckled and shook his head.
"I'll wear both," he conceded. "I like the way you look at me when I wear them." He looked at Shino and his walls were down, he was emotionally stripped bare, and Shino loved him like this.
So he wrapped Neji in an embrace and placed a kiss in his hair.
"I love you, Neji."
"I love you too, Shino."
"Happy White Day."
...I am so pissed with my computer right now. Because of it, I couldn't actually get this updated on White Day, as I had hoped, but instead had to post it on the 15th of March...:(
But, anyway, this is a continuation of the Valentine's Day story and I hope is just as fluffy sweet as that one had been. Once again, this is dedicated to my peeps, Kagome Raya, Mewmewgodess, G.L.G., and Hanai-kun!! Hope everyone else enjoys it too.
Happy day after White Day! R&R, you know the deal.